Space is limited so please sign up early. You may also want to bring a pillow or blanket to sit on for comfort

Join us as we come together as like minded souls to enjoy ceremonial grade sacred plant medicine from the cacao plant "raw dark chocolate" as a ceremonial drink, healthy hot chocolate (it works with the Heart Chakra/Love). 

* We will be holding this ceremony at Mystic Bayou,  you will enjoy a Sound Bath,  Self love and Forgiveness Meditation along with, Handmade Cacao Candies, Tapping, Intention Setting and Releasing.

 We will  be releasing what no longer servers our higher good and we will be setting new intentions . We will have strawberries or other fruit to nibble on . This ceremony is to help us release what no longer serves our higher good and helps us to intend onto ourselves what we wish to bring in, to serve our highest good.

You may have noticed that cacao ceremonies have really taken off in the world of wellness over the past few years.

What is a cacao ceremony?

A cacao ceremony is really an opportunity for people to come together in an intentional space and enjoy drinking ceremonial cacao whilst setting new intentions, sharing heart-felt insights, or being led through a meditation or visualization of some kind.

Cacao ceremonies are certainly not new. People in south and central America, especially the Mayan and Aztec cultures, have been enjoying, initiating, and sharing cacao ceremonies for thousands of years. Archaeological evidence of cacao’s use dates to 3,900 years ago in Central America, and recent genetic evidence dates cacao’s use to 5,300 years ago in the Amazon.

Traditionally, these ceremonies were to help communities unite, share, connect and seed positive intentions and manifestations for the coming natural cycles to help produce healthy crops and abundance in all forms. Above all though, cacao was also used for spiritual, medicinal, and ceremonial purposes for inner awakening and creative guidance.

Cacao is very revered in these ancient cultures, even today. To this day, many cultures still utilize cacao ceremonially and more recently, this ancient knowledge and the practices have been carried to the western world especially in holistic, spiritual and wellness communities.

A cacao ceremony is a beautiful opportunity to connect with yourself on a deeper level and with those sharing the ceremony journey alongside you. The cacao offers great insights, creativity, and inspiration. It is also well known for its heart opening properties and its mood-boosting effects, so it can be quite a lively and euphoric experience! Cacao ceremonies also offer an opportunity for deep healing, for introspection, goal setting, self-love and transformation.

 What is a Cacao Ceremony? 

So now you have an idea of what a cacao ceremony is, what is ceremonial cacao? In ceremonies, it’s not your average ‘hot chocolate’ that is served! Ceremonial cacao refers to the highest quality, most pure, unheated, unprocessed part of the cacao bean. Ceremonial Cacao should come as paste – sometimes called Cacao liquor. This unrefined paste is made simply by grinding the Cacao Beans and stopping before the cacao butter and cacao powder separate. This leaves all of the nutrients in the cacao unlike the “ chocolate that we are familiar with today that has been processed and sweetened with a ton of unhealthy sugar!

The best Ceremonial Cacao comes from the heirloom Criollo bean – a native species of Cacao. Most importantly, it is organically and sustainably grown where local indigenous growers and communities are supported, ethically and generously.

This cacao doesn’t taste quite like the chocolate candy bars you may be used to! It is quite rich and can be slightly bitter as it isn’t sweetened in any way in its natural form.

 What are the benefits of Ceremonial Cacao? 

Ceremonial cacao contains all the incredible beneficial properties that the pure cacao bean offers. There’s no doubt it is a powerful and positive substance- cacao is known to the Ancient Mayan culture as the ‘Food of the Gods’ and the active constituent in cacao – theobromine – also translates to ‘Food of the Gods’ in Ancient Latin.

 Opens your heart 

​​Cacao contains a molecule called theobromine, which is a little like a sister molecule to caffeine. Unlike caffeine, however, its stimulating effects focus more on blood flow and the heart than on the nervous system, so you will likely experience cacao as a more grounded energy source than caffeine. Ceremonial cacao can certainly feel energizing but won’t tend to make you feel jittery or keep you up at night. Because of the way the theobromine significantly increases blood flow, you will likely experience a heart-opening sensation after drinking cacao. It’s common to feel filled up with love, or open and connected to both yourself and to others.

 Mood-boosting 

Cacao is well documented for its positive mood-boosting effects. The compounds anandamide and PEA increase serotonin uptake which contribute to an overall feeling of happiness and contentment with each sip. It is also a great source of scientifically proven ‘happiness’ chemicals including tryptophan, tyrosine and phenylethylamine.

 Stimulates focus and clarity 

Cacao increases blood flow (oxygen and nutrients) to the brain. The stimulating effects of cacao can help you to focus longer and deeper on the spiritual practice of the ceremony, like an extended meditation for example. If you often feel fidgety or distracted in meditation, you may notice that in a cacao ceremony you have razor sharp focus! This is also why cacao is becoming more common to enjoy in daily life. If you have a big workday or essay to get through, try a cacao over that coffee!

 Abundant in health properties 

Cacao is one of the highest natural sources of antioxidants and one of the highest sources of magnesium known to man. It also contains calcium and magnesium in perfect ratios that are fully absorbable by the body. It is also high in an extensive number of vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, vitamins A, C and D, calcium, zinc, copper, and potassium.

 Spiritual Connection 

Using this powerful and pure form of cacao in a ceremonial setting ensures that the potent benefits and unique qualities of the cacao are truly experienced. While cacao doesn’t have ‘psychedelic’ properties, it is considered, especially in ancient cultures, to be a form of ‘plant medicine’ purely because of all its incredible benefits. It is therefore considered a very safe, accessible, and enjoyable way to experience a ceremonial medicine circle. You will likely feel a heightened sense of unity, consciousness or simply a deeper connection to yourself and the world around you.

What are the benefits of a cacao ceremony?

Cacao ceremonies are becoming more popular, because they are spaces for people to connect with each other in new ways, and they are an opportunity to reconnect with ancient parts of ourselves that remember the simple power of gathering together in community.

As mentioned, cacao ceremonies have lots of special and unique benefits:

· Stimulates feelings of love, self-love and is heart opening

· Inspires a positive mood and gentle feelings of euphoria

· Inspired inspiration, creativity, and new insights

· Initiates healing, reflection and forgiveness

· Strengthens bonds and feelings of connection and unity

· Promotes compassion, understanding and openness

· Helps you to close old chapters and move forwards on your path

· Offers clarity, focus, insight, and a connection to your intuition and deeper knowing

· Can support you to release blocks, recognize patterns and let go

· Supports you to find and develop a connection to your highest self & your own power

· Enables you to silence the mind and connect to the wisdom and spirit within you

Why share cacao ceremonies as a group?

On a metaphysical level, cacao serves as a tool for connecting to the energetic space of your heart, as well as to people around you.

Cacao ceremonies are special to share in a group environment, especially with a special group of women. They can help to increase the energetic field of our hearts, and when we join together, the field is amplified and woven together. We tend to forget on a daily basis that we are all connected and united. In a cacao ceremony, you can shift the energy into the same frequency or vibration. This may seem a bit woo woo! Yet it’s similar to a group of friends going out for cocktails – they are all getting into the same journey together by drinking beverages with the same effect on the body. In the case of cacao, it is a joyous and healing experience for your body, mind and spirit.

A cacao ceremony can also be wonderful way to connect with people in a safe, open-hearted environment. As cacao brings people into the same energetic frequency, this often results in deeper, more intimate connection with ourselves and each other. The group enjoys a shared experience of mood elevation, increased vitality, enhanced intuition and empathy, and a more open, present heart.

So, Please join us for our Cacao Ceremony and unite with like minded people, help to hold space and positive intention for one another and lets come together as a community as we are divinely designed to do.

*Drumming is an ancient approach that uses rhythm to promote healing and self-expression.  Recent research indicates that drumming may accelerates physical healing, boosts the immune system, produces feelings of well-being, and helps release emotional trauma.

People are encouraged to bring a drum , rattle, tambourine or other instrument but it is not necessary. Mystic Bayou will have only a few instruments available for use. You may also wish to bring a pillow or cushion to sit on.